Lovely Gifts From Catherine. And....

Last summer Catherine from  NINETTE & CO. http://miniaturemaisondesouris.blogspot.com/ sent me a parcel that never arrived. I had no idea she had even sent something for months. Worse, in retrospect... That she probably thought I was so rude I didn't bother to acknowledge her gift. I was horrified!

Undiscouraged, Catherine sent another parcel, which happily arrived safely. She made this GORGEOUS straw shopping bag and all the vegetables that are in it. I love how many of them are in paper bags. She also made the crusty baguette. I just adore it. Her work is always beautiful!!!

As if that wasn't enough, she sent me one of her lovely paintings of a vase of roses. Thank you so much Catherine I love it all. XXXXXXX

There is also a new acquisition... A garlic braid by Linda Cummings linsminis.blogspot.com . I was so amazed by her work. At first I thought the bulbs had been glued on. The 'dried' stems actually come right out of the top of the garlic bulbs which she then braids together. Astonishing!

Yesterday

How incredibly lucky am I to have friends that remember my birthday. It is so exciting to get an unexpected parcel in the mail.

Linda  http://une-petite-folie.blogspot.com/ sent me a gorgeous vase by Margaret Crosswell,  The painting on it is so soft next to the pretty pink roses. I love the fluted edge around the top. It will be just perfect in the master bedroom.  Thank you so much Linda, I adore it! XXX

Several months ago I shared a story with Linda Master http://miraclechicken.blogspot.com/ about a Paris apartment that was literally a time capsule. Although the rent had always been paid, no one had been inside it for 70 years. 

Linda and I loved a painting that was found inside the abandoned apartment by Giovanni Boldini. Rather than repeat the story, I will let you read about it here... http://www.messynessychic.com/2012/05/09/the-paris-time-capsule-apartment/

Yesterday I was totally blown away when I opened my gift from Linda. It is a miniature copy of Giovanni Boldini's painting painted in oil. Linda used her special router bits to make the frame and then hand carved the design around the edge. Thank you so much Linda! Your talent never ceases to amaze me. XXX

Ottoman

I hated to throw away the silk that was left over from making the chair. There was just enough left to make an ottoman. Not that I feel I have to use it in the house but at least it is an option.

A Sampler Gift & New Chair

Linda http://une-petite-folie.blogspot.com/ sent me a beautiful red and white sampler she bought at SIMP this summer. I have just finished framing it. Isn't it wonderful! Thank you again Linda! I adore it.

I bought the fabric for this chair at the Tom Bishop show in 2010. It is really heavy unlike the silk and made the job a lot more difficult. I thought I would just make another wing chair while all the do's and don'ts of upholstery were fresh in my mind.

Go Ahead... Raid His Closet. He won't miss it.

William Morris Wing Chair

I have wanted to try to make a chair for a long time. Mostly because I wanted to try to upholster something. Sadly, this city has horrible fabric shops! As many times as I have looked, I have always come home empty handed.

When I was doing a William Morris search and found the acorn wallpaper, I also found a man's William Morris (used) silk tie on Ebay. It was in pristine condition and I loved the colors and the pattern.

When it arrived I was shocked by the exceptional quality of the silk. I took the tie apart and realized the fabric was so flimsy I would have to use iron on interfacing to stabilize it. I made the rope twisted cord trim out of cotton embroidery floss. The chair seemed to need a pillow so I decided to use 1/2 mm no hole glass beads to fill it. I thought the beads would give it weight and allow it to look like someone had just gotten up and left it rumpled in the chair.

I have a whole new respect for the prices people ask for handmade upholstered chairs! It took me all of a 3 day weekend just to upholster it.

PS.... We cannot accept liability or complaints from irate husbands about missing ties.



Updated on September 6, 2012

With everything else being symmetrical... The band on the pillow of the seat was driving me mad. I had to fix it! I am much happier now!

Writing Letters

Today's mail brought another wonderful piece by Linda Master. http://miraclechicken.blogspot.com/ It is a gorgeous brass ink well and carved wood stand. The wood has been routered to insure the well doesn't turn over. I have raised the ink well so you can see how pretty it is. She also sent perfect white and a brown quill feathers.

OOPS! I neglected to say Linda turned the brass ink well. That was her first attempted at turning metal on a lathe.

Thank you so much Linda!!!

Someone Has Been Out Shopping In the Rain

That someone is me. And yes, thankfully we are getting some badly needed rain today.



I was wandering around Michael's craft store and found these tiny purple flowers. When I saw them I thought they had been dried. No! Instead they have been preserved by some method that makes them feel like you just picked them. I decided to add them to some peonies I made.

I also couldn't resist the William Morris acorn wallpaper I found. I guess I have had acorns on the brain lately ;-) The umbrella was a ETSY find. It is just perfect. http://www.etsy.com/shop/FranMadeMinis The the fabric has wonderful fluffy folds at the top.